EDITORIAL: A $2M hole in Destin's budget

Published: Friday, August 22, 2014 at 04:45 PM.

We almost feel sorry for Destin officials. They keep being reminded of how they frittered away $2.15 million to keep a strip club from opening in town — more precisely, $1.75 million to settle a legal dispute and $400,000 to buy the land on which the club would’ve been built — instead of spending it on something important.
That boneheaded deal was made in April. A month later, one of our readers suggested the money could’ve gone to the Destin Fire Control District, which had announced it would stop responding to medical calls because of a budget shortfall. Others wondered if the cash would’ve helped the city recover from the April 29 rains and flooding.
And now it’s budget time. “Based on the budget you have before you,” City Manager Maryann Ustick told the City Council during a recent workshop, “there is no funding left in any department for any new services.”
Ouch.
The Destin Log’s Matt Algarin reported last Monday: “Looking at the highlights of the proposed budget, city leaders see an increase in their general fund revenue of 2.5 percent, or $251,396. But general fund expenditures also jump by $279,843.”
The city is trying to find money for capital projects such as Heritage Run drainage improvements, Hutchinson Street reconstruction, Indian Bayou stormwater improvements and technology upgrades. The cost of the city’s contract with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is jumping, too, by about 25 percent.
To generate some cash, Destin officials are talking about reinstating fees for residents using the Joe’s Bayou boat launch and visiting Henderson Beach State Park. The new fees could be as much as $30 per year.
Double ouch.
A couple of million extra bucks sure would come in handy about now, wouldn’t it?
Too bad the council blew it all in a fit of misguided moralism.
We’ve heard from any number of people who believe Destin officials were right to show they would pay money — big, big money — to keep the town’s virtue intact. Consider the point made. But after this particular extravagance, we hope the same leaders will realize there’s nothing virtuous about wasting taxpayers’ dollars.

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We almost feel sorry for Destin officials. They keep being reminded of how they frittered away $2.15 million to keep a strip club from opening in town — more precisely, $1.75 million to settle a legal dispute and $400,000 to buy the land on which the club would’ve been built — instead of spending it on something important.
That boneheaded deal was made in April. A month later, one of our readers suggested the money could’ve gone to the Destin Fire Control District, which had announced it would stop responding to medical calls because of a budget shortfall. Others wondered if the cash would’ve helped the city recover from the April 29 rains and flooding.
And now it’s budget time. “Based on the budget you have before you,” City Manager Maryann Ustick told the City Council during a recent workshop, “there is no funding left in any department for any new services.”
Ouch.
The Destin Log’s Matt Algarin reported last Monday: “Looking at the highlights of the proposed budget, city leaders see an increase in their general fund revenue of 2.5 percent, or $251,396. But general fund expenditures also jump by $279,843.”
The city is trying to find money for capital projects such as Heritage Run drainage improvements, Hutchinson Street reconstruction, Indian Bayou stormwater improvements and technology upgrades. The cost of the city’s contract with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is jumping, too, by about 25 percent.
To generate some cash, Destin officials are talking about reinstating fees for residents using the Joe’s Bayou boat launch and visiting Henderson Beach State Park. The new fees could be as much as $30 per year.
Double ouch.
A couple of million extra bucks sure would come in handy about now, wouldn’t it?
Too bad the council blew it all in a fit of misguided moralism.
We’ve heard from any number of people who believe Destin officials were right to show they would pay money — big, big money — to keep the town’s virtue intact. Consider the point made. But after this particular extravagance, we hope the same leaders will realize there’s nothing virtuous about wasting taxpayers’ dollars.